Technical Marking. 



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though it possess, in addition to its splashes and blotches, any or all of the marks the locality of 

 which we have described, and which are the acknowledged standard "marks" recognised as such by 

 the Fancy. A mark on the top of the head, however regular in its formation, or on the back (and 

 some saddles are most exquisite in shape and characteristic pencilling of each individual feather), 

 is not a "mark" proper; and hence it may be accepted as an axiom that a "Marked" bird must have 

 a clean run, over and under, from the beak to the tail. And since dark feathers on each side of 

 the tail constitute " marks," and further, since there are twelve feathers in the tail, it might be 

 demonstrated from these premises that an entirely dark tail is a "marked" tail. But, if admitted, 

 it would be of no value, because such marking is invariably accompanied by so much of a 

 detractive character that the value of the whole would be subtractive instead of positive ; indeed, it 

 is by common consent tacitly agreed that a dark tail constitutes "variegation," and not "marking," 

 because the absence of light feathers in the middle destroys the idea of a clean run from stem to 

 stern, with the marking on each side. When the clean run is obstructed, above or below, the 

 marking ceases and becomes variegation, and this criterion applies as much to the head as to 

 the tail. 



It will be plain that "marking" is a question of locality, and that there are but six places in 

 which marks can possibly exist : elsewhere they are not marks. The perfection of marking 

 consists in evenness and exactness — two separate and distinct things, though the latter idea is 

 included in the former. Nothing is more common than to hear that a certain bird is not evenly 

 marked, because one wing or one eye mark is heavier than the other ; but if it be marked on each 

 wing or each eye, it is evenly marked, although the marking may be so irregular and badly 

 balanced as to lay but small claim to be called exact. To be exact, the marks should correspond 

 in shape and feather, one side of the bird being the counterpart of the other. It may seem 

 unnecessary to have to explain this, but, simple as the thing is, a misapprehension as to the 

 meaning of the terms gives rise to more misunderstanding than almost anything in connection with 

 Canary-showing. Uneven marking should define itself; but that there may be no mistake, we say 

 that a bird with only one eye or one wing or one side of the tail marked, is unevenly marked ; or, 

 to put the definition in a concise form, any one of the three marks not being repeated on the other 

 side constitutes the bird unevenly marked. Such birds are not technically " Variegated," because 

 there is the absence of the necessary body-marks ; but inasmuch as they cannot win in a class in 

 which the desideratum is evenness, they are allowed to be shown in the " Variegated " class by 

 sinking the technical character of their markings and considering them as of no value, and thus 

 allowing them to compete with the irregularly-pied birds, whose variegations also are of no value, 

 on the common ground of colour, quality, condition, and all other good properties except marking. 

 This grouping, though sometimes convenient, is not defensible on any other ground except 

 convenience, not always the safest foundation on which to build ; and a very little inquiry 

 into the character of the special feature of each of these two classes will show the truth of our 

 position. The birds are representatives of different classes, to begin with, and have been bred 

 with different objects in view. The one must be considered as approximating closely to that 

 standard of excellence which consists in the entire absence of body-marks and the retention of 

 those representing evenness and exactness, to retain and fix which has been the aim of all others, 

 in the prosecution of which the production of colour has had to give way, as being only secondary. 

 The other represents a class in which marking or variegation of any kind is valueless, as such, and 

 only exists as evidence of an admixture of the native green element essential to the development 

 of colour. The result of mixing up these unlike things in one competition is that the Unevenly- 

 marked bird has no chance of winning on a colour basis in what is essentially a colour class — a 

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